Mikayla Bowen
Addison, MI
Internship: Communications
College: Michigan State University
Year in School: 2023 Graduate
Major: Animal Science with Dairy Concentration
Dream Job: Dairy Reproductive Consultant
What previous experiences do you have that have helped prepare you for your internship?
I gained a lot of dairy experience from my time at MSU. I competed on the Dairy Challenge Team, Dairy Judging Team, was involved in the Dairy Club, and worked for a dairy focused research lab. I was also involved with Dr. Barry Bradford at MSU, where I helped run the MSU Dairy Extension social media and Spartan Dairy Newsletter. My time with Dr. Bradford is where I gained much of my communications knowledge.
How does this MMPA internship experience fit into your future career goals?
My goal in the dairy industry is to help producers. MMPA is a co-op that focuses on doing what is best for their members and that is something that I appreciate. Through my internship role I have helped communicate to members and the public on not only current events, but ways that MMPA can be a support in the industry.
What do you like most about working in the dairy industry?
I enjoy helping producers keep their cows happy and healthy. As I gain more experience in the industry, I hope to become an asset to farms when problem solving and troubleshooting on the dairy.
What was your favorite experience working as an MMPA intern?
Working with the communications team and everyone at MMPA has been the most exciting. Everyone at MMPA is extremely helpful and friendly. The communications team has taken me on as one of their own, and I have gained so much knowledge from them, all while having fun along the way!
Cecelia Brandt
Cedar Springs, MI
Internship: Member Representative Intern through Food Systems Fellowship
College: Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Year in School: 2nd Year
Major: Veterinary Medicine
Dream Job: Traveling the country and fixing up old barns and farmhouses
What previous experiences do you have that have helped prepare you for your internship?
I come from a farm background and grew up in 4-H and FFA, but I do not have a dairy background (other than my dairy goats!). However, I did work for a year on a dairy in Sparta, Michigan prior to starting vet school. I loved my experience there and I was eager to learn more about the dairy industry. So, when I saw this internship, I thought it would be a good fit for me.
How does this MMPA internship experience fit into your future career goals?
This internship gave me a more in depth look at the dairy industry where I might like to work one day. I gained insight on what goes into shipping Grade A milk, the National Dairy FARM Program, and many other aspects of dairy production.
What do you like most about working in the dairy industry?
My favorite part about the dairy industry is never having the same experience every day. There is always something new to learn about or something new to overcome. Even with a routine, the experience is never the same.
What was your favorite experience working as an MMPA intern?
I had a lot of wonderful experiences this summer thanks to my mentor Lyndsay Earl, member services director Ben Chapin and all the field staff. However, I think my favorite experience was seeing all the different facilities since I had only been on a couple dairy farms previously and how they operate day-to-day to produce a safe, high-quality product for our tables.
Jack Ignatowski
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Internship: Financial Planning & Analysis Intern
College: University of Michigan
Year in School: Junior
Major: Business
Dream Job: Finance related, but not sure yet!
What previous experiences do you have that have helped prepare you for your internship?
In terms of communication, I would say that managing my local Dairy Queen for a few years prepared me to interact with a wide range of professionals. Applying these skills to MMPA, I was able to effectively vary my communication style depending on whether I spoke to my FP&A coworkers, the department heads, or the CEO.
How does this MMPA internship experience fit into your future career goals?
This internship has allowed me to really take a deep dive into the world of business. While it is one thing to learn about business in the classroom, it is a completely different thing to practice it within a specific industry.
What do you like most about working in the dairy industry?
Funny enough, I think what I like most about working in the dairy industry is that it is complicated! The dairy industry is intricate, regulated, and unlike many other business models. The challenge of learning dairy forced me not only to think in a different way but also to keep an open mind about how businesses (and particularly their pricing) work.
What was your favorite experience working as an MMPA intern?
My favorite experience working as an MMPA intern had to be getting to know my coworkers. The staff at Novi were incredibly kind, helpful, and supportive of me and I can’t thank them enough for their help.